rs, Dan. ii. 8, ye (would) gain the time. The days, says Paul, are evil, and are in the power of wicked men, not in your own power. Wherefore, since you see that you are hard pressed, endeavour, until the hostile intervals of this un happy period pass away, to pass through and spend your time, if not with profit, at least without loss, which is done by keeping quiet, or at least by acting with moderation. This is the force of the verb DDT in a passage of Amos, which will be presently quoted. Wisdom and ax.pl fieia, circumspection, are commanded, not sloth. There is however one mode of acting in summer, another in winter, even with greater labour [in the former than in the latter]. Those who in evil days seek meanwhile no fruit of time, but [the mere gaining of] time itself (according to the example of the Magi, Dan. ii., or like a besieged city waiting for assistance), these act wisely, and in the end will the better use the time, which they have thus redeemed (gained). Sir. x. (27) 31, MJ) do^afyv sv xatpu ffrsvo%upfag ffov, boast not in the time of thy distress. A similar expression occurs in Polycarp's Ep. to the church at Smyrna, where the martyrs are said, &« fua$ upag rqv atuiviov xoXaffiv s^a-yopa^o^svoi, to have bought off (gained exemption from) everlasting punishment by the sufferings of one hour. — § 2. The opposite is to lose (throw away) time. — Tj/Mspai, days) ch. vi. 13. — Kovqpat, evil) Amos v. 13, 6 ffwt&v sv r& xaipti sxsivw (OT1) ffiuirqfferai) on xaipbg irovqpog stfriv, he who has un derstanding at that time will be silent, because it is an evil time.
17. SwisvTsg, understanding) Amos, as we have seen, has ffwiuv : hence we may conclude that Paul had reference to that passage. — ri TO ^X^a1 rov Kvp/ov, what the will of the Lord is) not only universally, but at a certain time, place [as occasion may arise], etc.
18. Mr, ftsQvaxsffQe o'tvu, be not drunk with wine) So the LXX. plainly, Prov. xxiii. 31 (30). Appropriately to the exhortation against impurity, he subjoins the exhortation against drunken ness. — sv u>) in which, viz. wine, so far as it is drunk without moderation. — affuria) "Atfurog is used for d<rw<rro$ : hence
1 In this verse the Germ. Vers. prefers the reading Qeol>, which has been left by the margin of both Ed. to the pleasure of the reader. — E. B.
B (adding ypav) D(A)G# Vulg., Rec. Text, and Lucif. 158, read A/ and several MSS. of Vulg. read @goy. — ED.